Columbia, SC jobs, layoffs and employers
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Show me jobs near meJobs in Columbia
- Senior Structural EngineerParsons
- Traffic Safety Project Manager IHNTB
- Rheumatology Territory Business Manager, Columbia, SCArgenx
- Industrial Mechanical EngineerAecom
- Neurology Territory Business Manager (Overlay), ColumbiaArgenx
- Commercial Litigation AssociateNelson Mullins
- Senior Materials ManagerTrane Technologies
- 2nd Shift B Line Team LeaderTrane Technologies
- 1st Shift TCDC Team LeaderTrane Technologies
- 2nd Materials Team LeaderTrane Technologies
Employers hiring most in Columbia
- The Nuclear Company28 open roles
- Trane Technologies22 open roles
- Scout Motors13 open roles
- Amarok7 open roles
- State of South Carolina7 open roles
- Trane U.s.7 open roles
- Veterans Health Administration7 open roles
- AgFirst Farm Credit Bank5 open roles
- Michael Baker International5 open roles
- NexonIT5 open roles
Columbia layoffs
No layoff notices naming Columbia in the last 12 months are on file. The WARN Act covers employers with 100 or more workers, so smaller layoffs are not in it.
Colleges in Columbia
| College | Type | Students |
|---|---|---|
| University of South Carolina-Columbia | Public 4-year | 20,000+ |
| Benedict College | Private non-profit 4-year | 1,000–4,999 |
| Columbia College | Private non-profit 4-year | 1,000–4,999 |
| Columbia International University | Private non-profit 4-year | 1,000–4,999 |
| Allen University | Private non-profit 4-year | Under 1,000 |
Conferences in Columbia
Industry conferences and trade shows held in Columbia. 3 with dates announced.
- SC.CPA Fall Fest Accounting Conference
Nov 19 to Nov 20, 2026 · Columbia, SC
Ticket Up to $1,000. $1,000 non-member; 16 CPE hours; member price not listed
- South Carolina Hospital Association Annual Meeting
Dec 9, 2026 · Columbia, SC
Paid ticket, price not listed
- Southeastern Museums Conference Annual Meeting
Oct 4 to Oct 6, 2027 · Columbia, SC
Paid ticket. Registration via members portal; pricing not yet posted. Premium membership gives $25 off early bird.
Where Columbia ranks
Where Columbia placed in our monthly rankings, month by month. Each month stays online at its own address.
November 2026
- #14Cities with the most jobs that need no experience in the Southeast1.6% · of 84
- #18Cities with the most jobs that need no experience1.6% · of 100
- #19Cities hosting the most business conferences in the Southeast3 conferences · of 21
Richland County outlook: Building
Built from public Bureau of Labor Statistics and Census figures. It describes the area, not any one employer in it.
- Private-sector jobs up 2.6% from 2022 to 2025
- Population up 4.6% from 2020 to 2025
- Unemployment 3.9%, down 0.6 points from a year ago
- Sectors adding the most jobs: health care (+3,125 jobs), hotels & food (+1,491 jobs)
- Sectors losing the most jobs: admin & staffing (−2,219 jobs), wholesale (−689 jobs)
Local job-market news
Recent headlines about layoffs, AI and jobs in Columbia. Each link goes to the publisher.
- South Carolina independent pharmacies call for help amid financial strugglesWSAV-TV on MSN · Nov 6, 2026
- BRITTONS TO CLOSE AFTER 80 YEARS IN COLUMBIA, SCMR Magazine · Oct 8, 2026
Learn and get funded in Columbia
- Which AI skills each kind of job asks for, with the pay premium.
- Your local workforce board and American Job Centers: training vouchers and re-employment help.
- Grants and funding for job seekers, ranked for your state and situation.
- Unemployment benefits by state, if you are between jobs.
Workforce development and job centers
The public workforce board and American Job Centers serving Columbia. They offer free help with job search, training and filing for benefits.
Laid off in South Carolina? How to file for unemployment in South Carolina (steps, weekly amount and the appeal deadline).
- Midlands Workforce Development Board
Fairfield, Lexington, Richland
SC Works Center Columbia Midlands
Columbia · Comprehensive · 803-737-5627
Monday - Friday 8:00am - 5:00pm
Richland County economy
3.9%
unemployment, Sep 2026
4.5% the month before
219,084
in the labor force
Source: BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics
418,725
people in Richland County
Source: U.S. Census Bureau
$61,699
median household income
Source: Census ACS
44%
of workers in white-collar occupations
Management, business, financial and professional; Census ACS
More cities in Richland County
Laid off or looking for work in Columbia?
See what to do first and the jobs open near you.
See your options after a layoffSources: Layoff notices from South Carolina’s published record; job counts from our live job board, taken from employers’ own career sites; IPEDS for colleges; CareerOneStop for workforce boards and job centers; Census Bureau and BLS for county figures. South Carolina unemployment benefits and severance rules.
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